I'm a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Republic, IGN.com, Wired and more. I cover social games, video games, technology and that whole gray area that happens when technology and consumers collide. Google

New iPhone Game Deals With Worker Suicides at Electronics Manufacturers

As we ponder the moral quandaries about killing virtual people in video games, it can be hard to forget that whatever platform you’re playing on is a moral quandary to begin with. The supply chain that put that piece of electronics in your hand is long and dangerous. It seems ironic to play a game about that fact, but one has to start somewhere.

“In a Permanent Save State” describes itself as a “cerebral, fantasy-driven application” about the lives of the workers who “assemble the world’s dreams.” It’s about the suicides of migrant workers, and while any names like “Apple” and “iPhone” are blacked out, the target here is clear. It follows in the footsteps of “Phone Story,” a more cartoony title that dealt with the same issues. That game was banned from the app store.

It’s hard to say what role games can play in dealing with these issues – the obvious issue of how one plays these games is hard to get around. Awareness can still be important, however, even if what we do with that awareness is the real test.

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